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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24358450">All I Want</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian'>xtremeroswellian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>12 Days of Christmas - Third Watch (2003) [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Third Watch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas, F/M, Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:41:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,558</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24358450</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cowritten with NYPDBosco, who doesn't have an account here. </p><p>Bosco and Faith get the one thing they truly want for Christmas...each other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Maurice Boscorelli/Faith Yokas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>12 Days of Christmas - Third Watch (2003) [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758421</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bosco slouched in his chair as Lieutenant Swersky briefed them about everyone's assignments for the day. He wasn't sure, but for a moment he thought he drifted off to sleep because the officer next to him jabbed a finger in his arm. "What?" The officer handed him a police lid with numerous scraps of paper in it. "What the hell is this," he asked, not realizing it was loud enough for the lieutenant to hear him.</p><p>Swersky looked at him pointedly. "The annual Secret Santa drawing, Bosco. Wake up."</p><p>"It's that time again, already?"</p><p>Faith, who was sitting directly to his right, rolled her eyes. "Well it is December, Boz," she said, her tone amused rather than annoyed.</p><p>He looked over at her a smirk on his face. "Have I been asleep that long," he asked with a chuckle as he reached in to get a slip of paper, and then passed the hat to Faith.</p><p>"Welcome back, Rumplestiltskin," she replied, grinning as she also took a piece of paper and passed the hat to the guy sitting behind her.</p><p>Bosco grinned as he unfolded the paper to find out which officer he was going to play Santa for.</p><p>She glanced at the piece of paper in her hand, her eyes widening slightly. She almost chuckled. 'Maurice Boscorelli.'</p><p>He looked around the room, then leaned over to try and see whom Faith had selected.</p><p>She quickly folded the paper up and stuffed it in her pocket, pushing him away.</p><p>"Come on," he said lightly. He finally read the name he'd drawn. 'Faith Yokas'. His eyes widened. No way, he thought.</p><p>"It's called the Secret Santa drawing for a reason, Bosco," she told him, her eyes glittering with amusement. She couldn't believe she'd drawn his name out of everyone in the whole department.</p><p>"Exactly. So that's why I'm not tellin' you who I drew," he told her, as if he'd been the one who explained it to her.</p><p>She rolled her eyes. "And it's why I didn't -ask-."</p><p>He pointed at her. "But you were going to," he said with a grin.</p><p>"You keep tellin' yourself that. Just because -you're- nosy..." Her voice was light, playful as the officers around them began to stand up and head for the door.</p><p>"Damn straight I'm nosy. It's part of bein' a cop."</p><p>She gave him a lopsided smile. "I'll get the radios," she said as she stood up.</p><p>He smiled at her, his eyes bright. "You do that."</p><p>Faith shook her head and walked to the door. She had a feeling the next few days could be highly entertaining.</p><p>* * *</p><p>He strolled into the locker room with about fifteen minutes to spare before the shift. Nodding at a few officers he headed over to his locker. There was a Christmas gift bag sitting on the bench in front of his locker, his last name was on the tag. He looked around the room before picking up the gift and sitting down.</p><p>Faith smiled as she watched Bosco step into the locker room and she heaved her duffel bag up onto her shoulder and stepped inside, faking a shiver as she walked in. "Man, it's really gettin' cold out there," she announced.</p><p>Bosco stopped midway through pulling out the red tissue paper that was stuffed inside the bag, and looked up. "It ain't that bad."</p><p>She stuck her tongue out at him. "Says you."</p><p>He shook his head, and went back to searching through the bag for his gift.</p><p>"Did your secret Santa leave you a gift?" She was proud of how easily she asked the question without smiling, and by the curious tone of her voice.</p><p>"Yup." He grinned as he pulled a box out of the bag. Not wanting to seem too excited about getting a gift he took his time opening the box, and revealing the small NYPD RMP with a gold string that was attached to it. "Hey check this out." He held up the ornament for her to see.</p><p>"Cool," she said nonchalantly, barely glancing at the ornament.</p><p>Bosco opened his locker, and hung the ornament on one of the metal hooks inside. He then looked over at Faith. "You get anything?"</p><p>"Nope, nothin' yet."</p><p>"Some loser like Sullivan probably drew your name," he joked.</p><p>"Yeah, or that sergeant from Anti-Crime that everyone hates...what's her name?"</p><p>He chuckled as he started to change into his uniform. "Yup, that'd be your luck."</p><p>"Oh, well. The whole thing's kinda hokey if you ask me."</p><p>"What? You sayin' you don't like gettin' gifts?"</p><p>She shrugged. "Last year I wound up gettin' a glow in the dark tie and a pair of socks with Santa Claus on 'em."</p><p>He cocked an eyebrow. "A glow in the dark tie?"</p><p>"Yeah, I wound up passin' it onto Fred. I think he threw it away." She shrugged again. "It's not like people put much thought into the whole thing anyway so it's kind of a waste of time."</p><p>"You've got a point."</p><p>Faith nodded and opened her locker, her gaze falling momentarily on the picture of her and Fred and the kids that had been taken several years ago. She sighed inaudibly, closing her eyes for a moment. This year would be her first Christmas since the divorce and she wasn't looking forward to spending the holiday alone. Maybe I'll sign up to work, she thought as she started to change into her uniform.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith shivered slightly in the cool wind, pulling her jacket around her a little tighter as she gazed in the window of the department store. She and Bosco were on their meal period, but they'd already eaten. He'd gone to use the restroom and she told him she'd be across the street. She hadn't had time to do much of her Christmas shopping yet, and didn't even really know what she was going to get anyone, so she was hoping to come up with some ideas from window browsing in her spare time.</p><p>Bosco jogged across the street to join his partner. "Much better."</p><p>She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Glad you're feeling relieved."</p><p>"Just makin' conversation," he told her with a grin.</p><p>"Okay, you're way too happy today. What's up with that?" she asked with arched brows.</p><p>"Me? Happy? Come on."</p><p>"No, somethin's up." She studied him for a moment. "What? You get lucky last night or somethin'?" she teased.</p><p>"Yokas," he feigned shock. "How could you think such a thing?"</p><p>"Uh...we've been partners a long time, Boz. I know you pretty well. So who is she?"</p><p>"For your information Faith, I'm currently single."</p><p>"Yeah, that's not what I asked."</p><p>He grinned. "Look there's nobody alright. Can't a guy just be in a good mood?"</p><p>"Any other guy, yeah."</p><p>"So -I- can't be in a good mood unless I've had sex the night before?"</p><p>"That's usually how it works."</p><p>"Did ya ever think I might be happy cause it's Christmas time? Huh, did you think about that?"</p><p>Faith was a little taken aback by the annoyance in his voice. "Look, I was just kiddin', Boz. Lighten up."</p><p>He pulled at the bottom of his jacket, straightening it out. "Okay then."</p><p>She turned to look back into the store window again, sighing softly. "We should call into Central, let 'em know we're ready to be back on duty."</p><p>Bosco studied her for a moment. "-Are- you ready?"</p><p>"Yeah. We're done with dinner, so..." She shrugged.</p><p>"Well, we've still got some time."</p><p>"If you don't wanna go back to work, you can just say so." She smiled faintly.</p><p>He shook his head a little. "No it's just...well, you kinda looked like you were lookin' for somethin'," he said softly.</p><p>"Yeah, lookin' but not findin'. It's no biggie."</p><p>"What are you tryin' to find?"</p><p>She was quiet for a moment. "I don't really know."</p><p>"You okay, Faith?"</p><p>She plastered a smile on her face before she turned to look at him. "Peachy."</p><p>"I know you well enough to know that word is used sarcastically," he told her as he stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets.</p><p>She shrugged. "Somehow my enthusiasm for this holiday has faded to nearly zero and I still haven't even started Christmas shopping for the kids yet."</p><p>"Seriously? You haven't done any shopping?"</p><p>"No. Haven't really felt like it." She shrugged again, punched the button on her radio and put them back in service.</p><p>He frowned, and looked down at his feet, kicking at a crack in the sidewalk. "I'm sorry, Faith," he whispered softly.</p><p>"No big deal. I've just been workin' too many hours. Who feels like shoppin' after an eight hour shift?"</p><p>"That's not what I'm talkin' about, and you know it." His voice was gentle as he looked up at her.</p><p>She avoided his eyes. "We should get back in the squad. It looks like it's gonna snow."</p><p>Bosco nodded his head. "Sure."</p><p>She turned and walked over to where their RMP was parked, climbing in the passenger seat and strapping her seatbelt on.</p><p>For a moment he just stood there, and rubbed his neck as he watched her walk away. He glanced back at the store window before walking over to the squad car. There had to be something he could do for Faith to get her into the Christmas spirit.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith sighed softly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she stepped into the locker room. It had been a long, dull shift, and while she was normally grateful for the calmness, at that time of year the calmness gave her too much time to think about the void in her life that was left by her ex-husband and their kids. She shrugged out of her jacket as she walked over to her locker, pausing when she saw a gift box on the floor under her locker. She glanced over to where Bosco stood. "Boz? You see somebody leave this?"</p><p>He looked over at her, his eyebrows furrowed. "Room was empty when I came in."</p><p>She frowned slightly, then leaned down to pick up the medium-sized gift-wrapped box. Sure enough, it was her name on the gift tag. She sat on the bench, carefully peeling the paper off the box and then opening the lid. A small smile touched her lips.</p><p>Bosco watched her out of the corner of his eye as he put his gun belt in his locker. "Whaddya get?"</p><p>"It's a new scarf." She pulled the soft material from the box, running her fingers over it. It was actually very pretty. It had a black and purple design pattern, which not only were her favorite colors, but it matched her winter coat perfectly.</p><p>He looked over at her. "It's nice."</p><p>"Yeah, it is." She rubbed the material against her cheek, a smile on her face. "I think I may have gotten a secret Santa with decent taste this year."</p><p>Bosco grinned, mentally patting himself on the back.</p><p>Faith wrapped the scarf around her neck and started to change into her civvies.</p><p>"Want a ride home," he asked as he started changing.</p><p>She paused. "No, but thanks."</p><p>He nodded his head. "You wanna go for a drink?"</p><p>She turned to look at him, a little surprised by the offer. "Shouldn't you be hanging out with young, single women?" she asked with raised eyebrows.</p><p>Bosco chuckled softly. "I think I could take a night off, and be okay."</p><p>"And miss out on the opportunity for a hot date?"</p><p>He shrugged. "I could use a night off," he said lightly.</p><p>"Yeah, wouldn't wanna wear yourself out or anything," she teased.</p><p>"Exactly."</p><p>A small smile tugged at her lips involuntarily. "One drink."</p><p>"Sounds good." He pulled on a long-sleeved t-shirt, and grabbed his jacket. "Haggerty's?"</p><p>"Sure." She finished changing clothes, keeping her new scarf wrapped around her neck as she slipped her coat on.</p><p>Bosco smiled, happy he'd gotten her to go agree to go for a drink. Maybe this was just the thing she needed.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith sat at the bar beside Bosco, sipping a wine cooler as they watched the small screen TV suspended above them. It had been a long, long time since she'd been out to a bar--not since before Fred had left her. A long time before he'd left her, actually. It was almost surreal.</p><p>"Look at that, the Knicks lost again." He shook his head in disgust.</p><p>"There's a shock." She smirked and leaned back against the chair she was sitting in.</p><p>He looked over at her, a smile on his face. "You want somethin' to eat?"</p><p>"Nah, I'm good. Thanks." She smiled back and took another sip of her drink.</p><p>Bosco grabbed a handful of peanuts out of the bowl that sat on the bar, and turned his attention back to the television.</p><p>"Hey, how ya doin'?"</p><p>She turned her head to glance over to her right where a good-looking guy sat down. "Me? I'm fine."</p><p>He smiled softly, and extended his hand. "I'm Dan."</p><p>"Nice to meet ya, Dan. I'm Faith." She smiled back, shaking his hand.</p><p>Slowly Bosco turned his head to see who Faith was talking to.</p><p>"Can I buy you a drink, or something to eat?"</p><p>She paused for a moment, set to automatically turn him down. Then she reminded herself that accepting a drink from another man was no longer against the rules. She wasn't married anymore. "Sure, I'll take another one of these." She held her wine cooler up, smiling at him.</p><p>He smiled at her before turning to get the bartender's attention.</p><p>"Faith," Bosco practically hissed.</p><p>She jumped slightly, having momentarily forgotten that her partner was sitting on the other side of her. "What?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>"What are you doin'?"</p><p>"Havin' a drink. What are you doin'?"</p><p>"Faith, he's a complete stranger."</p><p>She smirked. "So? How many times have you hit on a complete stranger in a bar before?"</p><p>"We're not talkin' about me."</p><p>"We're not talkin' about me either," she informed him, turning her attention back to the other man.</p><p>Bosco's jaw dropped wondering what had just happened.</p><p>Dan placed another wine cooler in front of her. "Here you go, Faith."</p><p>"Thanks, Dan." She smiled at him.</p><p>"So Faith, tell me about yourself."</p><p>She hesitated momentarily, flashed him another smile. It had been a long time since she'd been on the dating scene and she had serious doubts about her ability to flirt and keep a man's attention. "Why don't you tell me about you first." She winked at him.</p><p>"Well, let's see. I'm a construction foreman, and well...that pretty much covers all the interesting stuff," he told her with a chuckle.</p><p>"Oh, now somehow I doubt that." She smiled as she sipped her wine cooler.</p><p>He turned toward her, leaning against the bar. "Okay, now it's your turn to tell me somethin' about yourself. Whaddya do for a living?"</p><p>Her smile faltered just slightly. "I'm a police officer," she told him, trying to sound nonchalant.</p><p>"Really? Wow."</p><p>Faith was relieved that he didn't seem to be freaked out or intimidated. "Yeah, well. It's a living." She smiled.</p><p>"Is it as exciting as they make it seem on TV," he asked curiously.</p><p>"Sometimes, yeah. Sometimes it's incredibly dull."</p><p>Bosco drank the rest of his beer, and set the bottle down. He tapped Faith's arm. "It's gettin' late, we should go."</p><p>She turned to look at him, annoyed. "Bosco, we just got here."</p><p>"Yeah, one drink." He picked up his bottle, waving it around to indicate it was empty.</p><p>"So have another." She started to turn away again.</p><p>"Faith, come on let's go."</p><p>She sighed, narrowing her eyes as she looked at him. "If you wanna go home, go ahead. I'll catch a cab."</p><p>"I'm not leavin' you here alone," he whispered.</p><p>She shot him a look. "I'm a big girl."</p><p>"Faith, who's this guy? Is he botherin' you," Dan asked, slightly annoyed by Bosco yet concerned.</p><p>Faith drew in a breath. "He's my work partner. Bosco, Dan. Dan, Bosco."</p><p>Bosco studied the man for a moment, and then gave him a nod.</p><p>"Nice to meet you, Bosco."</p><p>She took a drink of her wine cooler, not liking the way Bosco was looking at the man. "So Bosco was just going home. I'll see you tomorrow?"</p><p>Bosco's eyes narrowed. "What?"</p><p>Faith looked at him, saw the determined look in his eyes and knew he wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon. "Don't you have to get up early and do that...thing?"</p><p>He gave her a confused look. "What thing?"</p><p>Her jaw tensed. "That thing...you know, at the gym."</p><p>He sighed, sensing her anger. "Fine. I'll go." He stood up, and grabbed his coat off the back of the chair.</p><p>She caught sight of the flash of hurt on his face and she felt guilty. She had come there to hang out with Bosco, after all. "Just hang on." She turned her attention back to Dan, giving him an apologetic look. "Why don't I give you my number and you can give me a call sometime?"</p><p>Dan nodded his head. "Yeah, that'd be great."</p><p>She smiled briefly, pulled a pen out of her purse and jotted her phone number down on a napkin. "It was nice meetin' you."</p><p>He looked at the number for a moment, and then back up at Faith. "You too. I'll definitely give you a call." Dan took hold of Faith's hand, and brought it to his lips. "Until next time."</p><p>Faith smiled at him, charmed. "I can't wait." She slid off the barstool and stood up. "Bye, Dan."</p><p>"Goodnight, Faith."</p><p>"Night." She held his gaze for a moment longer before heading for the door.</p><p>Bosco stared at Dan for a few seconds, not exactly sure why the guy bothered him so much. He then turned, and followed Faith.</p><p>She walked across the street to his car, waiting at the passenger side for him to unlock it.</p><p>He unlocked her door, and then moved around to the driver's side of the car. Once he was inside he pulled on his seatbelt then started the car to let it warm up.</p><p>Faith slid into the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt and sat silently, sensing he wanted to say something.</p><p>He was quiet for a few moments as he ran his hands over the steering wheel. "Faith, I..."</p><p>She turned her head to look at him, studying him silently as she waited for him to continue. When he didn't, her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "What?"</p><p>Bosco closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the headrest. "If you wanna go back inside...that's fine," he whispered.</p><p>"What's wrong, Bosco?"</p><p>"It's nothin'. I just...I don't want you gettin' hurt."</p><p>She frowned. "Gettin' hurt? How would I get hurt?"</p><p>He turned his head to look at her, but remained silent.</p><p>Faith gazed back at him, confused. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"You haven't really dated since Fred," he said softly. "And I can't say that I know how you feel or anything, but just...just be careful."</p><p>She was silent for a moment. "You're really bothered by the idea of me datin' somebody besides Fred, aren't you?" She was unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.</p><p>He swallowed hard. "Uh no, it's just...well there's a lot of jerks out there."</p><p>"Yeah, I'm aware of that."</p><p>"You were right. You're a big girl." He nodded his head. "Why don't you go back in, and talk to Dan?"</p><p>She stared at him, thoroughly confused now. First he wanted to take her home, now he wanted her to go back inside the bar?</p><p>"Can I ask you somethin'?"</p><p>"Yeah." She nodded slowly.</p><p>"Are you ready to date," he asked in a whisper.</p><p>A small smile touched her lips. "I don't know. I mean, it's been eleven months since the divorce, and..." She was quiet for a second. "I guess I'm lonely, you know?"</p><p>"Yeah." He nodded his head. "I didn't mean to ruin your chances. I don't know what came over me."</p><p>"Your overprotective partner instincts kicked in."</p><p>Bosco grinned. "Guess so."</p><p>She winked. "You ready to go?"</p><p>"You sure you don't wanna go back in there with Dan?"</p><p>Faith shrugged. "He's got my number."</p><p>"He seemed pretty sincere about calling you."</p><p>"Well, we can hope, right?" She smiled.</p><p>"Trust me, Faith. I know what sincere is."</p><p>Her eyes sparkled under the light of the street-lamp.</p><p>He gave her a small smile. "You're gonna have guys beatin' down your door to date you," he told her softly.</p><p>"I somehow doubt that." She chuckled.</p><p>"Well, don't," he said seriously as he put the car in gear.</p><p>Faith gazed at him for a moment longer, a little thrown by his tone of voice. "Boz, are you sure you're feelin' okay?"</p><p>Bosco nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm fine."</p><p>She turned and looked out the window, watching the scenery fly by as he drove.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith was smiling as she walked into the locker room the next afternoon, her new scarf wound around her neck. She was nearly ten minutes later than usual but she wasn't the least bit worried about it. She didn't even notice the stares she was getting from her co-workers as she headed to her locker.</p><p>Bosco was already dressed in uniform, and glanced at his watch when Faith came in. "Where ya been?"</p><p>"I had a lunch date." She smiled mysteriously, not looking over at him as she spun the combination on her lock and set her bag on the floor.</p><p>His eyes widened. "You what?"</p><p>"I. Had. A. Lunch. Date," she repeated slowly.</p><p>He rolled his eyes. "With that Dan guy," he asked curiously.</p><p>"No." She started to change into her uniform.</p><p>His eyebrows furrowed. "Well then...with who?"</p><p>She was grinning as she turned her head to look at him. "DK."</p><p>"DK?! Like, bucket boy DK?"</p><p>"The same one." She nodded and turned her attention back to changing clothes.</p><p>Bosco shook his head in disbelief, and pushed himself off the bench. He went over to her locker, and leaned against it. "DK?"</p><p>Faith glanced at him. "Yeah. What's wrong with DK?"</p><p>"Well...nothing, but...how'd you end up going out with DK?"</p><p>"I ran into him this morning while I was doin' some shoppin'. He asked me out to lunch."</p><p>He swallowed hard, and nodded his head. "Well, that's great, Faith."</p><p>"I know." She smiled. "We're goin' out for drinks after the shift."</p><p>Bosco forced a smile. He was pleased that Faith was getting back on the dating scene, but there was something about it that bothered him though he couldn't put his finger on it.</p><p>"Oh, and that Dan guy...he called this morning, surprisingly."</p><p>"He did?"</p><p>"Yep." She finished buttoning her uniform shirt.</p><p>"So, are you and Dan going out some time...or are you datin' DK, or...?"</p><p>Faith paused. "Well, it's nothin' serious with either, but...yeah, I have a date with Dan this weekend."</p><p>Bosco pressed his lips together, and nodded. "So...I'll save you a seat in roll call."</p><p>She frowned slightly. "You ok?"</p><p>"Never better," he told her softly before heading for the door.</p><p>She stared after him.</p><p>He let out a breath, and ran his hand through his hair as he entered the roll call room, taking a seat near the back. Slouching in his seat he stared at the desktop wondering why Faith's dating was bothering him so much.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith sat across from Bosco at Maluchi's as they ate dinner. She kept glancing at him as she ate her lasagna. He'd been very quiet the whole shift so far--highly unusual for Bosco. "Okay, are you gonna tell me what's wrong or am I gonna have to guess?"</p><p>Bosco pushed a meatball across his plate before looking up at her. "What makes you think something's wrong?"</p><p>"Cause you're too quiet. It's creepy."</p><p>"Me bein' quiet creeps you out?"</p><p>"Pretty much."</p><p>He shrugged. "Well, there's nothin' wrong, so..."</p><p>"Bosco. We've been partners for ten years. The only time you're this quiet is if something's wrong, or you're feelin' really guilty about somethin'."</p><p>"Oh...well it's just..I haven't gotten your Christmas gift yet, and there's only a few shopping days left."</p><p>Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at him wordlessly.</p><p>He looked back down at his spaghetti and meatballs, and began to push his food around his plate with his fork.</p><p>"Boz." Her voice was soft. "Are you sure you're okay? Cause the last couple days you been actin'...well...not like yourself. I'm worried."</p><p>After taking a deep breath he looked at her again. "Would you believe me if I told you that I don't know what's wrong?"</p><p>Faith gazed at him, then nodded slowly. "Yeah."</p><p>"I don't know what it is, but it just kinda hit me the other day," he said softly.</p><p>"Are you depressed?" There was worry in her voice as she leaned a little closer to him.</p><p>He shrugged. "I think...well, maybe," he whispered.</p><p>She was silent for a moment. "Why don't you come over tonight? We can hang out, play cards or somethin'."</p><p>"You can't. You've got a date."</p><p>She shrugged. "So I'll cancel. DK and I can go out some other time."</p><p>"No." He shook his head. "You don't have to do that for me. I'm alright."</p><p>"Boz, it's no big deal. Really." She gazed at him worriedly. "I'd rather hang out with you anyway."</p><p>He smiled softly. "It would be nice to just hang out...the two of us."</p><p>Faith smiled. "Yeah. We haven't really done that for awhile."</p><p>Bosco looked at her, his eyes brighter than they had been.</p><p>"Your apartment or mine?" She picked up her glass and took a sip of her soda.</p><p>He stuffed a meatball in his mouth. "Doesn't matter."</p><p>"Hmm...well...I've got leftover pizza at mine."</p><p>"Your place it is."</p><p>She grinned. "So it's a date." She didn't think about her words as she took another bite of lasagna.</p><p>He smiled, and relaxed a little more. "I look forward to it."</p><p>She glanced at him, feeling a little relieved that he seemed to be feeling better than he had been. She hoped she could help snap him out of the holiday depression he apparently had going on.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Bosco wiped his hands on the napkin Faith had laid out for him. "That was some good leftover pizza," he told her as he patted his stomach.</p><p>She smiled. "Yeah, I can really heat up leftovers great. I could give you lessons sometime," she said lightly.</p><p>"There are rarely leftovers at my apartment."</p><p>"Because you don't cook?"</p><p>"No," he chuckled. "Because I usually eat everything in one sitting."</p><p>Faith laughed. "Yeah, my best friend, the human garbage disposal."</p><p>He grinned, he loved it when she laughed. "So, you wanna watch a movie or somethin'?"</p><p>"Movie sounds good. Or we could play cards or somethin'</p><p>"I think I'd like to just chill on the sofa, watch a movie."</p><p>She nodded. "You want some popcorn or anything?"</p><p>"No thanks. I kinda filled up on pizza."</p><p>"Okay." She smiled and carried their dishes to the sink. She ran some hot water and left them to soak. "So what movie you wanna watch?"</p><p>He shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. You can pick whatever you want."</p><p>"Hmm. Let's watch...how's Bruce Almighty sound?"</p><p>"That's the one with Jim Carey, right?"</p><p>"Yeah, and Morgan Freeman. And that chick from 'Friends.'"</p><p>He raised his eyebrows. "Which chick from 'Friends'?"</p><p>She tilted her head to the side. "The one that's married to Brad Pitt."</p><p>"Oh, Jennifer Anniston." He nodded his head. "Very nice."</p><p>Faith raised her eyebrows.</p><p>"What? She's cute."</p><p>She shook her head. "Guess it's a good choice for a movie then." She turned and headed into the living room to find the DVD.</p><p>For a moment Bosco watched her walk away before following her. He plopped down on the sofa, putting his feet up on the coffee table.</p><p>She plugged in the movie, then dropped down next to him on the couch, resting her head against the back.</p><p>"You aren't too tired or anything are you?"</p><p>She turned her head to look at him with a small smile. "Nope, I'm good."</p><p>He nodded his head, and as the movie started he shifted a little closer to her. "Just let me know if you want me to leave cause you wanna go to bed."</p><p>She didn't even notice that he'd moved closer. "Sure." She folded her hands and rested them in her lap, focusing her attention on the television screen.</p><p>After the movie had been playing for a little while Bosco shifted once more, and moved his arm to rest on the back of the sofa behind Faith.</p><p>Faith yawned, her eyelids drooping a little. Without really thinking about it, she leaned her head against Bosco's shoulder.</p><p>Her movement didn't even phase him, and he put his arm around her shoulders. His eyes still on the TV.</p><p>She closed her eyes, unable to fight the impulse any longer. Within moments she was sound asleep.</p><p>When she didn't laugh when he did he glanced over at her. A soft smile spread across his face when he realized she was sleeping. He gently rubbed her shoulder. "Faith," he whispered.</p><p>She murmured softly, resting a hand on his leg as she slept.</p><p>He rested his hand on top of hers, and continued to watch the movie, figuring he'd wake her up when it was over.</p><p>When the movie ended, Faith was still sleeping peacefully, unaware of anything around her.</p><p>Bosco ran his fingers over her hand gently. "Faith," he said softly. "Faith, we should get you in bed."</p><p>"Mmhmm," she mumbled sleepily.</p><p>"Come on," he whispered. "It's time for bed."</p><p>Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Boz?"</p><p>"Yeah." He patted her leg. "You fell asleep during the movie."</p><p>"Oh." She opened her eyes slowly, squinting against the lamp light. "Sorry."</p><p>"No big deal. You looked pretty peaceful, so..."</p><p>"What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her face with one hand.</p><p>He yawned. "It's a little after three."</p><p>"Oh, man." She sat up slowly, only just realizing she'd fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder. "You make a pretty good pillow." She smiled.</p><p>"It's hard work, but I do my best," he told her with a grin.</p><p>Faith chuckled.</p><p>Bosco yawned once more, and stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "Well...I think it's bedtime, so I'm gonna head home."</p><p>She looked up at him. "You seem tired, and...it's pretty late. Why don't you just stay here tonight?"</p><p>"I don't wanna impose."</p><p>"It's not imposin' if I invite ya," she told him with a smile.</p><p>"I am pretty tired," he said softly.</p><p>"Well, you've got your choice of one of the kids' beds, the sofa or my bed."</p><p>Her bed, he thought, then shook his head when he realized she hadn't intended it the way he was thinking. He closed his eyes, cursing himself for his line of thought.</p><p>"Hey, you okay?"</p><p>"Yeah." He nodded his head quickly. "I'm good, and I think I'll take the sofa."</p><p>"You sure? I have a king size bed." She hooked her thumb over her shoulder.</p><p>"Are you...are you invitin' me to sleep with you," he asked uncertainly. "I mean, not -sleep- with you, but..."</p><p>An amused smile touched her lips. "Well, yeah, I guess. I mean, it's a big bed and...well, I trust you with my life so I assume I'm safe sleepin' next to ya, too."</p><p>"I think we can handle sleeping in the same bed," he told her softly.</p><p>Faith smiled. "Just give me a minute to change into my pajamas, okay?"</p><p>He nodded his head. "Just let me know when you're decent," he told her with a smile.</p><p>"Well, I happen to think I am most of the time." She smirked, winking at him before she left the room.</p><p>Bosco smiled softly as he watched her walk away, his gaze remaining on the hallway entrance even after she'd disappeared. He was glad she'd canceled her date with DK. Spending time with Faith seemed to be just what he needed.</p><p>Faith reappeared a moment later, dressed in a button down blue silky nightshirt and matching pants. "Okay, I think I'm decent enough for ya."</p><p>"Definitely," he whispered to himself.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith stood in the kitchen, making bacon and eggs for breakfast, still in her pajamas. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and she was gazing outside the window at the lightly falling snow. Bosco had still been asleep when she woke up and she hadn't had the heart to wake him. Besides, they didn't have to be at work for hours. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sipped it slowly as she waited for the bacon to finish frying.</p><p>Her thoughts drifted to her still-sleeping best friend. He seemed better last night than he had in a few days, but she was still worried. Bosco was the type of guy to keep everything bottled up inside until it was too late for anyone to help him and she was afraid he might be on that familiar path yet again. She was determined to do everything she could to pull him out of his funk.</p><p>She rubbed the back of her neck after she set her coffee cup down on the counter, still gazing outside. She'd woken around 6:30 to find him curled up right behind her, his hand resting on her waist. She hadn't slept that close to a man since Fred had moved out nearly a year before. It had felt nice. Safe. Warm. She closed her eyes momentarily, letting out a slow breath and reminding herself that she shouldn't be having thoughts like that about her partner. They couldn't possibly lead to anything good.</p><p>Bosco slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on his stomach, sprawled out, his left arm hanging off the side of the bed, his face smashed into the pillow. Swallowing hard he closed his eyes for a moment not sure if he was ready to wake up fully. A soft groan escaped him when he realized he wasn't going to be able to fall asleep again due to the light coming in through the blinds. He lifted his head off the pillow, and his eyes widened slightly, for a brief moment he was trying to figure out where he was. Who he'd been with.</p><p>His eyes settled on a picture on the night stand. A picture of Emily and Charlie. That's when it all came back to him. A sleepy smile spread across his face, but quickly turned to a frown when he realized he was on the opposite side of the bed from where he'd started last night. He instantly feared that she'd been uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed as him.</p><p>He slowly crawled out of bed, and wandered down the hall, preparing himself for a possibly awkward situation.</p><p>She heard the footsteps coming down the hall and turned to look at him, a smile on her face. "Morning."</p><p>Bosco stretched his arms over his head, and yawned. "Good morning."</p><p>"You sleep okay?" She pulled another mug out of the cabinet and poured him a cup of coffee.</p><p>He nodded his head as he walked into the kitchen, leaning against the counter, a smile on his face as he took the mug she offered him. "Yeah. You?"</p><p>"Yeah, I slept really well." She motioned her hand to the skillet that was still frying bacon. "Breakfast'll be ready in a few minutes."</p><p>"Wow. You made breakfast?"</p><p>"Yeah." She smiled faintly. "Eggs and bacon, no big deal."</p><p>"Well, it sure beats pop-tarts."</p><p>Faith chuckled. "I don't know. Fruit filled pasteries are kinda hard to beat."</p><p>"Yeah, but when you have them every morning..."</p><p>She tilted her head to the side. "True."</p><p>"How long you been up," he asked softly before taking a sip of his coffee.</p><p>"Not long. Half-hour maybe."</p><p>"Thanks for lettin' me stay last night."</p><p>She nodded slightly. "No problem." She gazed at him for a moment, took a sip of her coffee.</p><p>He returned her gaze, a warm smile on his face.</p><p>He definitely looked better than he had the day before. The sparkle was in his eyes again. She wondered how long it would stay there. She knew the holidays had a tendency to make people depressed and feel alone. She'd been feeling similar things since Thanksgiving.</p><p>After a few moments he turned, looking toward the window. "So...you got plans for today?"</p><p>"Just work." She paused, continuing to gaze at him. "You?"</p><p>He shrugged. "I was thinking I might do a little shopping if the mood struck me."</p><p>"And you sound so enthused," she said lightly.</p><p>Bosco grinned. "Come on Faith. You know me and shopping don't get along."</p><p>She grinned back. "Oh, believe me, I know."</p><p>"I still have a ton of shopping to do, and I swear I'll be doing it on Christmas Eve out of necessity."</p><p>"Like you do every year. Isn't it a Boscorelli tradition?"</p><p>"Yeah, and -every- year I say I'm gonna break tradition." He chuckled. "But somehow I never mange to."</p><p>"Well, maybe this'll be your lucky year."</p><p>"Maybe." He turned around, and pulled a couple plates out of the cupboard.</p><p>Faith smiled and started to say something else when her telephone rang. "Oh. Excuse me." She walked over and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"</p><p>"Uh...hi," said the unknown person on the other end :-)</p><p>"Hey Faith, it's DK."</p><p>"Oh. Hey." She smiled. "How are you?"</p><p>"I'm good. Was wondering how your night went," he told her softly.</p><p>"It was okay." She lowered her voice a little. "Sorry about bailing."</p><p>Bosco slowly turned his head to look at her.</p><p>"That's okay. You said it was important, so I know it must have been." He smiled softly as he spoke. "Can we reschedule?"</p><p>"Yeah, I'd like that."</p><p>"Tonight?"</p><p>She hesitated, rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. "Yeah. Tonight's good."</p><p>He'd heard enough of Faith's conversation to know what was going on. He looked down at the counter top for a moment before starting to dish up their breakfast.</p><p>"Excellent. I'll wait for you outside after the shift."</p><p>"Okay. I'll see ya then." She smiled faintly, then hung up the phone.</p><p>"Who was that," Bosco asked, trying to sound cheerful.</p><p>"DK. He uh...wanted to reschedule drinks."</p><p>He nodded his head. "That's great, Faith."</p><p>"Yeah. He seems like a good guy." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and took a plate from him.</p><p>Bosco got a couple forks out of the drawer. "I've never heard a bad thing about him."</p><p>"Yeah, me either." She took a fork from him, then sat down at the table.</p><p>He picked up his plate and coffee, moving over to sit across from her.</p><p>Faith took a sip of her coffee, glancing over at him. "So what are you gonna do tonight?"</p><p>"Probably just head home. Get some sleep." He shoveled some eggs into his mouth.</p><p>"Three nights in a row of not tryin' to find a date?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "That a record for you?"</p><p>Bosco glanced up at her. "Maybe."</p><p>She studied him for a moment silently.</p><p>He looked back down at his plate. "I don't always have to have a girlfriend."</p><p>"No, it's just...you usually do. That's all." Her voice was soft.</p><p>He shrugged. "Haven't really run across anyone lately that I'm interested in. I mean, sure there's lots of women out there...but I'm thinking about maybe changing my ways."</p><p>She nearly choked on her coffee.</p><p>"You okay?"</p><p>She nodded quickly, covering her mouth as she coughed.</p><p>Bosco took a drink of coffee, watching her carefully to make sure she was alright.</p><p>Faith recovered after a moment, swallowing hard and drawing in some air.</p><p>He looked down at his food, and was quiet for a few seconds. "I just don't wanna sleep around anymore," he whispered.</p><p>"What changed?" she asked softly.</p><p>"You remember Nicole?"</p><p>"Yeah, of course." It was hard to forget the beautiful blonde that had enchanted her best friend for so long.</p><p>"So...you remember why we broke up?"</p><p>She nodded slowly. "Yeah..."</p><p>"I was cleanin' out a drawer in the kitchen the other day, and found a picture of the two of us from that night we went to the opera." He paused. "I guess...I just got to thinking about what you'd said to me. I really had no right to say what I did to her."</p><p>She was quiet for a moment. "You thought about callin' her?"</p><p>"She's not gonna want to talk to me."</p><p>"You don't know that."</p><p>Bosco stabbed at his eggs with his fork. "If I hadn't been such an ass...she and I might still be together," he whispered.</p><p>"Do you miss her?" she asked softly, leaning her elbows on the table.</p><p>He sighed, and leaned back in his chair. "Honestly...I don't know if it's her that I miss, or..."</p><p>Her eyebrows furrowed as she waited for him to continue.</p><p>"Or having someone like her. I mean, she was great. You may not believe this, but she and I shared a lot. It was the first relationship I'd had like that in a long time." He chuckled softly. "Hell Faith, I went to the -opera-."</p><p>She smiled faintly. "I remember how happy you were with her."</p><p>"So why'd I have to go and screw it all up?"</p><p>"Boz, sometimes...people make mistakes. Things happen." Her voice was soft and she glanced down at her plate. How well she knew that from experience.</p><p>"Yeah, well...that was possibly the biggest mistake of my life."</p><p>She nodded slightly. "You should call her."</p><p>"That way I could at least apologize," he said softly.</p><p>"And who knows...maybe things'll work out this time for the two of you."</p><p>"Well, I'm not gonna get my hopes up." He broke off a piece of bacon, and stuffed it in his mouth.</p><p>"It's the season for miracles, Boz."</p><p>"Are you tryin' to tell me it's gonna take a miracle," he asked lightly, a small smile on his face.</p><p>She chuckled at his unexpected comment. "No, I'm just sayin'...it's the time of year when things happen you never expected to happen. That's all." She smiled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bosco walked into the locker room, and peaked around the lockers to see if anyone was inside. He bent over to see if anyone was in the bathroom stalls. Relieved to find the room empty he hurried over to Faith's locker, and pulled a poorly wrapped gift out of his duffel bag. Looking around once more to make sure the coast was clear he set the gift on the bench in front of her locker.</p><p>Faith walked in a few moments later, not even noticing the gift at first. The gift she'd bought for Bosco was tucked safely in her bag, but one glance across the room confirmed that he'd beat here there for the second day in a row. If he kept it up, it was gonna be really difficult to leave him anymore Secret Santa gifts. "Early again? I'm impressed," she said lightly.</p><p>He looked up from where he sat in front of his locker, dressed in his uniform pants and wife beater. "As you should be," he informed her as he pulled his vest on over his head.</p><p>She chuckled and set her bag down, the wrapped package on the bench catching her eyes. She looked around again, then sat down on the bench, picking up the gift. Her name was on the tag, but this time there was an envelope attached. She pulled it off and opened it, reading the words.</p><p>He cautiously glanced her way before reaching into his locker for his turtleneck.</p><p>Faith didn't even notice him looking at her. "Faith--For your crib. From, your Secret Santa," she murmured.</p><p>Bosco stood up so he could tuck in his shirt. "Anything good?"</p><p>"I don't know." She grinned at the wrap job. "My Secret Santa's gotta be a guy, though."</p><p>"Why do you say that?"</p><p>"Cause it's a proven fact that women wrap presents better than men." She smirked as she started to open her gift.</p><p>"Oh, so someone did a study on it," he asked with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>She looked over at him. "Ask anyone." She winked, then finished tearing the paper off, her eyes widening a little as she looked down at the double picture frame. It was a wooden one with an adorable puppy dog figure at the bottom looking up at the glass. The letters at the top spelled out, "My Kids."</p><p>Bosco raised his eyebrows. "So what'd you get?"</p><p>She held the picture frame up for him to see. "Isn't it great? I've been tryin' to find a frame I liked for Em and Charlie's school picture this year. This is perfect."</p><p>He squinted as he looked over at the frame. "Yeah, but...you don't have a dog."</p><p>She rolled her eyes. "So? It's adorable."</p><p>Shrugging he then reached for his gunbelt. "Whatever you say."</p><p>She shook her head and carefully placed the frame in her locker before changing into her uniform. "I wonder who it is."</p><p>He put on his belt, and then moved over to the sink area. After getting his hands wet he tried to smooth down his hair. "Probably some dope like Sullivan."</p><p>"First of all, Sully's not a dope. And secondly, whoever got me this frame isn't either." There was the slightest hint of defensiveness to her tone.</p><p>Bosco bit his lip, and lowered his head so she couldn't see him in the mirror, so she couldn't see him smiling. "Whatever you say, Faith."</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith hadn't been able to wipe the smile off her face during the entire shift so far. Between the thoughtful gift from her Secret Santa and her date with DK later, she was in a good mood. She didn't even mind that it was snowing again. Wasn't bothered by all the people rushing around to do their Christmas shopping, yelling and sniping at one another.</p><p>Bosco slouched in the driver's seat. "Pretty boring shift, huh?"</p><p>"Oh, I don't know. I think it's nice," she said cheerfully.</p><p>His eyes narrowed, and he rolled his head to the side to look at her. "What's with you?"</p><p>She glanced at him. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"Hello Mary Sunshine."</p><p>Faith raised her eyebrows. "So I'm in a good mood. Your point?"</p><p>"No point."</p><p>She shrugged slightly. "I just think it's been a good day so far."</p><p>"For you maybe," he mumbled softly.</p><p>Her smile slipped a little. "What's wrong?"</p><p>"Nothin'. I'm just bored I guess."</p><p>"Sorry I'm not entertaining enough for you," she said, slightly hurt by his tone. She looked out the window.</p><p>Bosco let out a breath. "I didn't mean that you were boring me."</p><p>She was quiet for a moment. "So have you thought anymore about callin' Nicole?" Her voice was soft.</p><p>"I was thinkin' I might call her when we're on meal," he told her, his voice just as soft as he gazed out the windshield.</p><p>Faith glanced over at him, unsure of what to say.</p><p>He closed his eyes. "So...lookin' forward to your date?"</p><p>"Yeah, I guess so. It's kinda weird."</p><p>"What is," he asked as he turned to look at her.</p><p>"Me. Dating. It's weird."</p><p>"Yeah, it kinda is."</p><p>A lopsided smile formed on her lips. "Gee, Boz. Thanks."</p><p>"Well, it is," he told her softly. "It's usually me talkin' about my dates, and you tryin' to keep track of who I'm talking about. Now it's the other way around."</p><p>"I haven't even had one date yet."</p><p>"You had lunch with DK the other day," he reminded her.</p><p>"Yeah, but it wasn't like a real date. I paid for my lunch, he paid for his. It was just like...two people havin' lunch. Like you and me every day."</p><p>"Sure, but it's not like you and DK were great friends before that."</p><p>Her eyebrows furrowed at the edge to his voice. He almost sounded annoyed. "I thought you liked DK."</p><p>"I do like DK. I never said I didn't."</p><p>"Okay, now you're gettin' defensive."</p><p>"No I'm not. I'm just sayin'..."</p><p>"That I've agreed to dates with two different guys in a week and am therefore a slut?"</p><p>"Whoa!" He shook his head. "I -never- said that!"</p><p>She looked out the passenger side window. "This was a bad idea."</p><p>Bosco stared down at the steering wheel. "I never said you were a slut," he whispered. "It's just...weird, like you said." He paused for a moment. "I'm happy for you Faith, really."</p><p>"Fred's getting married." Her voice was quiet.</p><p>He turned to look at her. "What?"</p><p>She let out a slow breath. "He's getting remarried. In February."</p><p>"I'm sorry," he whispered.</p><p>"Is there somethin' wrong with me?" Faith shifted her gaze to look at him, uncertainty in her eyes.</p><p>He gave her a confused look. "Whadda ya mean?"</p><p>"I mean...we've been divorced..not even a whole year yet and Fred's ready to get hitched again, and me...I'm so nervous about goin' out with DK for a drink tonight I feel like I could puke."</p><p>Bosco gave her a small smile. "There's nothing wrong with you, Faith," he told her softly. "It can't be easy to start dating again after what you went through."</p><p>"Well, apparently it wasn't hard for Fred." She looked out her window.</p><p>"Hey, look at me."</p><p>She drew in a breath and shifted her gaze to his once more, remaining silent.</p><p>"He's the one who hurt you," he whispered. "It was gonna take time to heal from that."</p><p>She managed a small smile. "Thanks, Boz. I don't know what I'd do without ya."</p><p>"And this date tonight...just be yourself, and you'll be fine."</p><p>Faith's eyes were full of warmth. "Who'd have thought you'd end up my dating coach, huh?"</p><p>"Weird, huh?"</p><p>"Very. But I couldn't ask for a better coach." She winked.</p><p>"Well, I was pretty big on the dating scene for a while," he told her with a small grin.</p><p>"For awhile? Please. Any single woman within a thirty mile radius is naturally drawn to your stunning good looks and charm."</p><p>"You tryin' to inflate my ego?"</p><p>"Is it workin'?"</p><p>He nodded his head. "Absolutely."</p><p>She grinned. "Then my job is done."</p><p>"Sorry 'bout before."</p><p>"Don't worry about it."</p><p>"So...you and DK, you're goin' for drinks?"</p><p>"Yeah. Haggerty's."</p><p>"Well I hope you guys have a good time."</p><p>For a second, she was almost sure she saw a hint of sadness in her eyes, but it disappeared quickly and she dismissed the idea. "Thanks." She shifted her gaze to the window again. "I can't wait to find out who my Secret Santa is."</p><p>"You got any ideas who it is?"</p><p>"No, not really. But I figure it's gotta be somebody I've talked to at least a few times if they know I got two kids. And that scarf matches my coat perfectly."</p><p>"Maybe it's Gusler," he suggested.</p><p>"Gusler?" She almost laughed. "Yeah, right."</p><p>"Why not?" He looked at her. "You know he likes you. Considers you a friend and all."</p><p>"No...he just doesn't seem the type." She tilted her head to the side a little, thinking.</p><p>He shrugged. "I don't see Sully puttin' that much thought into gifts. Maybe it's Davis. He's got pretty good taste."</p><p>She looked thoughtful. "Yeah, maybe." A small smile touched her lips and she had to look away.</p><p>"I really gotta go shopping."</p><p>"You even leavin' presents for whoever you're playing Secret Santa for?"</p><p>He shook his head. "Haven't gotten around to gettin' anything yet. I'm thinking I'm gonna end up just gettin' 'em something big on the last day."</p><p>"Who'd you draw anyway?" she asked curiously.</p><p>Bosco turned to look at her. "Aren't you the one who said it was supposed to be a secret?"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah. You're right. Guess I was just curious."</p><p>"You really want me to tell you?"</p><p>A smile quirked her lips. "If you want to. No pressure."</p><p>"Kowalsky," he mumbled unenthusiastically.</p><p>A small chuckle escaped her lips. "Oh, lucky you."</p><p>"Yeah tell me about it. What the hell do you get a guy like that?"</p><p>She shrugged. "I have no idea."</p><p>"Exactly." He leaned his head back. "I'll probably just end up gettin' him one of those big Christmas tins with the three different kinds of popcorn in it."</p><p>"Well, that's better than a Pez dispenser," she said pointedly.</p><p>His eyes narrowed slightly. "Hey, it was a snowman Pez dispenser."</p><p>Faith chuckled. "Boz, it didn't even have -candy- in it!"</p><p>"I didn't know that until -after- I bought it."</p><p>"I still say you ate the Pez before you made it to the precinct."</p><p>"Oh come on," he chuckled. "I'm not -that- bad." He noticed the look she gave him. "Okay, maybe I am sometimes."</p><p>She grinned. "Well, that's okay. I love ya anyway." She winked at him, then turned to look out her window.</p><p>Bosco gazed at her for a moment, his eyes soft.</p><p>"So what do you think about gettin' somethin' to eat? I'm starving."</p><p>He nodded his head. "Yeah, that sounds good. Where you wanna go?"</p><p>"Hmm...what about that deli over on Center Street? We haven't been there for awhile."</p><p>"Sure." He turned the headlights on, put the car in gear, and pulled out into the street when the lane was clear. "I could go for one of their meatball subs."</p><p>Faith smiled and glanced over at him. Grateful for his steady, unwavering presence in her life. She hoped one day she would be able to actually tell him how much he meant to her.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith stepped out from behind the row of lockers, glancing down at her attire uncertainly. She was wearing a soft, fuzzy red sweater and a pair of nice dress slacks. Her hair fell to her shoulders, framing her face gently. "I feel overdressed. What do you think, Boz?"</p><p>He looked at her as he fastened his jeans. His eyes moved from her head down to her toes, and then back up. "You look fine."</p><p>"Just fine?" She frowned slightly, then shook her head, forcing herself to take a deep breath.</p><p>"Well no. I mean...you look -great-."</p><p>She glanced over at him with uncertainty that disappeared when she met his eyes. She smiled. "Thanks." She shifted her eyes to the floor by his locker. "Hey, looks like someone's been good this year." She nodded toward the small gift-wrapped package.</p><p>His eyebrows furrowed as he looked down. "How the hell did I not see that before?"</p><p>She almost chuckled. "Because you're going blind?" she teased.</p><p>"Maybe." He sat down on the bench, and bent over to pick up the gift. "Merry Christmas, Boscorelli," he read from the tag.</p><p>Faith smiled faintly before turning back to her locker and pulling her jacket out.</p><p>Bosco stared at the package for a moment before carefully pulling the wrapping paper off the box, and setting it aside. He opened the lid, and pulled out a blue Knicks hat. Immediately he put the box down, and went to work bending the bill of the hat just right before putting it on. "Hey Faith, check this out."</p><p>She glanced over, grinning as she saw him wearing the hat. "You look very cute."</p><p>"Cute, huh?"</p><p>"Yeah." Her cheeks flushed slightly. "It's a nice hat."</p><p>He took the hat off, and looked at it. "Yeah, it is."</p><p>She smiled. "See ya tomorrow?"</p><p>Bosco pressed his lips together, and nodded his head. "Have a good time tonight."</p><p>"Thanks. Take it easy." Her hand rested on his shoulder momentarily before she turned and left the locker room.</p><p>He watched her leave, a somber expression on his face. Sighing softly he put his new hat back on before grabbing his jacket, and heading for the door.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith took a sip of her strawberry wine cooler and glanced across the small table at DK. They'd been at Haggerty's for nearly forty-five minutes, and while they were getting along great, she just wasn't feeling any chemistry between them.</p><p>DK ran his thumb over the label on his beer bottle as he gazed at Faith. "You want somethin' to eat," he asked softly.</p><p>"No, but thanks." She smiled faintly at him. She shifted her gaze to the bar where she and Bosco had sat a couple nights before. She wondered what he was up to.</p><p>"You wanna go for a walk? Check out some of the Christmas lights in the park?"</p><p>What she really wanted was to go check up on her partner. She was quiet for a moment. "Can I get a raincheck on that?" Her voice was soft. "My daughter was sick last night and I'd like to go see how she's doin'."</p><p>"Oh, yeah of course. Sorry to hear she was sick." DK stood up, and walked around to Faith's side of the table.</p><p>Faith managed another faint smile, feeling guilty for lying to him. She stood up. "Thanks for the drink. It was nice to hang out with you."</p><p>DK smiled, and leaned in to kiss her.</p><p>She was completely caught off guard by the gesture, but she closed her eyes for a second as their lips met. Then she pulled away.</p><p>He sighed softly. "Sorry," he whispered.</p><p>There was a sad smile on her face. "I like you. You're a really great guy, and I hope we can hang out sometime. But..." Her voice trailed off.</p><p>"I know." He nodded his head, and then placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "You need a ride?"</p><p>"No. But thank you. I really did have a nice time tonight."<br/>"Me too. We'll definitely have to do this again some time."</p><p>She smiled. "I'd like that. Take care, DK." She kissed his cheek and headed for the door.</p><p>DK smiled as she walked away. Faith really was a great woman. It was too bad it didn't work out between them.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Faith shifted the sacks of food from Maluchi's to her right hand and reached up to knock on the door softly. No way would he be asleep yet. She knew her partner and he was a night owl.</p><p>Bosco set down the remote control, but not his beer as he got off the sofa. He walked over to the door, slowly unlocked it, then pulled it open.</p><p>She smiled at him. "Hey."</p><p>He quickly shifted to the right, setting his beer down on the bookshelf near the door. Not wanting her to see it, but not sure why. "Hi. What's up?"</p><p>"I come bearing food. You hungry?" She held up the sacks, still smiling.</p><p>"Oh, Maluchi's." He pulled the door open wider so she could come in.</p><p>Faith stepped inside and set the bags down on his table.</p><p>He rubbed the back of his neck. "So uh, your date end early?"</p><p>"You could say that."</p><p>His eyes narrowed slightly. "Did somethin' happen?"</p><p>She shook her head as she started unloading the bags of food. "I got lasagna, fettuccini alfredo, and ravioli."</p><p>"That sounds great. Let me just uh...clean up a little, and then I'll get some plates."</p><p>"Sounds like a plan." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before pulling out one of the kitchen chairs and sitting down, leaning back in it and propping her feet up on the seat across from her.</p><p>Bosco went into the living room, and picked up the beer cans that were on the coffee table. He then grabbed the one he'd just put on the bookshelf. "You want something to drink," he asked as he walked past.</p><p>"Got any Sprite?"</p><p>"Yeah, I think so." He dumped the empty beer cans in the garbage before going over to the refrigerator.</p><p>She'd barely had eye contact with him, but she could sense that his depressed mood had returned once more. She bit her lip, worried.</p><p>He pulled out a can of Sprite for Faith, and a Pepsi for himself. After setting them on the table he went to get forks and plates. "Here you go," he said softly as he reached over her, setting a plate in front of her before moving to the other side of the table.</p><p>She gazed at him after murmuring a thank you.</p><p>"So was the date okay?"</p><p>Faith offered him a half-smile. "Well. Yeah, I guess. DK's a nice guy, but...there wasn't anything there."</p><p>He nodded his head as he grabbed one of the containers covered in aluminum foil. "That's too bad," he said softly. "But you've got that date with Dan comin' up."</p><p>"Yeah. I think I might cancel it."</p><p>"What?" He looked up at her. "Why?"</p><p>She shrugged and dished out some fettuccini on her plate. "Cause apparently I'm only drawn to either jerks like Fred, or guys who are unattainable like--" She stopped abruptly before the word 'you' came out of her mouth.</p><p>"Come on, Faith. No man is unattainable for someone like you." He stood up, and went to get a knife to cut the lasagna.</p><p>She almost laughed at the irony of his statement. Instead she shook her head. "So Christmas is only a couple days away. What are you doin'?"</p><p>He shrugged. "Not sure yet. Probably goin' to ma's for dinner."</p><p>"Oh." Her voice was soft as she nodded. "Well, that'll be fun."</p><p>"Yeah," he whispered. Bosco sat back down, and worked on cutting himself a piece of lasagna. "What are you doin'?"</p><p>"I'm actually thinkin' about signin' up to work."</p><p>His eyebrows furrowed. "Why would you do that?"</p><p>She didn't look at him. "Fred's takin' the kids to Jersey to spend the holiday with his new fiancee' and his parents, so..." She shrugged, taking a sip of her Sprite. "Not like I have a family to spend it with anyway. Might as well be makin' money, right?"</p><p>Bosco let out a breath. "I guess."</p><p>They fell silent as they ate. She only took a few bites of her fettuccini before pushing the plate aside. "You can keep the rest of the food. I think I'm gonna head home."</p><p>He looked up at her. "But...you just got here."</p><p>"Yeah, well...you should probably get some sleep. You look tired, Boz."</p><p>"I do?"</p><p>"Yeah." She nodded slightly, feeling a tug of sadness at her heart. "Catch ya tomorrow?"</p><p>He closed his eyes, and nodded his head. "Of course."</p><p>She rose to her feet and headed for the door, grabbing her jacket off the coat rack. "Have a good night, Boz." Her voice was soft.</p><p>He watched her walk toward the door. "Hey, you wanna spend the night?"</p><p>Faith paused in her steps, then turned around to face him. "What?"</p><p>"I was just wondering if you wanted to stay here tonight." He paused, trying to figure out what would be a good reason for her to stay. "It's uh...kinda late."</p><p>She glanced at her watch. It was just after 12:30. Not really all that late considering the hours they generally kept at work. But she didn't feel like going home to her cold, empty apartment and spending the night by herself. She didn't feel like being alone. "Yeah, I guess it is kinda late."</p><p>He smiled softly. "You can take my room. I'll sleep on the couch."</p><p>She remembered the warmth, the comfort she'd felt when she'd woken with his arm draped around her. She wanted to feel that way again. "What? I have cooties all of a sudden?" Her voice was light.</p><p>Bosco smiled softly, and shook his head. "No," he chuckled. "It's just...my bed's not as big as yours."</p><p>She shrugged, smiling faintly. "Doesn't bother me. I don't wanna kick you outta your own bed."</p><p>He bit his lip, contemplating whether he should give in right away or be stubborn, and offer to sleep on the couch again.</p><p>Faith shifted uncomfortably, wondering if she'd pushed too much. She should have just volunteered to take the sofa.</p><p>"You don't mind sharin' again?"</p><p>"I don't mind if you don't mind."</p><p>"I don't mind at all." He cringed slightly, hoping he didn't sound too eager.</p><p>Faith smiled, relaxing. "Uh...I don't have anything to sleep in."</p><p>"That's no problem. You can borrow some of my sweats or somethin'."</p><p>"That'd be great, Boz. Thanks."</p><p>"Are you tired?"</p><p>"A little."</p><p>"I'll find you somethin' to wear." He pushed his chair away from the table, and stood up.</p><p>She nodded and followed him down the hallway, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.</p><p>Bosco pulled open his top drawer, and found a pair of flannel pajama bottoms as well as a pair of sweats. He turned around, and held them both up for her to decide.</p><p>"Flannel is good." She smiled.</p><p>He tossed them over to her softly before turning and shoving the the sweats back in his dresser. Bosco then pulled open the second drawer. "T-shirt or sweatshirt?"</p><p>"Um...t-shirt." She turned the other way as she started to change into the flannel pajama bottoms.</p><p>After finding a t-shirt he shut the drawer, and turned toward her. "Oh shoot, sorry. I didn't know you were..."</p><p>"Oh, it's okay." She shrugged it off. "It's not like I haven't changed in front of you like a billion times." She pulled the pants on.</p><p>"Yeah. I know it's just...well you aren't usually changing in my bedroom."</p><p>Faith paused at his words. "Yeah, you've got a point there. Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable." Her voice was soft, apologetic.</p><p>"No, it's okay. I'm not uncomfortable."</p><p>She gazed at him for a moment, then grabbed the t-shirt off his bed. "I'll...go into the bathroom." She offered him a small smile.</p><p>"You don't have to. It's okay."</p><p>"So now you want me to undress in front of you?" she teased.</p><p>Bosco's face flushed slightly.</p><p>"Relax, Boz. I was kidding."</p><p>"Right." He nodded his head. "I know."</p><p>She smiled. "You know, you're really cute when you're flustered," she said lightly as she headed to the bathroom.</p><p>"Who said I was flustered?"</p><p>Faith chuckled as she changed out of her sweater and into his New York Knicks t-shirt. "Just a hunch." She ran her fingers through her hair as she glanced in the mirror, her gaze dropping to the bottom of the shirt. It left nearly two inches of her skin exposed and she shook her head in amusement. "Hey, Boz? You didn't by any chance throw this shirt in the dryer, did ya?"</p><p>He shrugged. "Maybe. Why?"</p><p>"Uh...cause it's cotton. Cotton shrinks in the dryer." She stepped out of the bathroom and walked back into his room.</p><p>His eyes widened slightly as he took in her appearance. "Oh."</p><p>She chuckled at the expression on his face. "Are you ready for bed?"</p><p>"Um, sure. In a minute. I'm just gonna go clean up the kitchen a little."</p><p>"Okay. Well, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go ahead, and..." She motioned to the bed.</p><p>"Oh, no problem. Make yourself at home." He smiled softly.</p><p>She returned his smile before climbing into his bed and slipping under the covers.</p><p>Bosco headed into the kitchen to clean up the food. There was a smile on his face as he was feeling much better than he had been earlier. It was amazing how Faith being around could lift his spirits.</p><p>She lay awake gazing out his bedroom window, feeling more relaxed than she had been since...well, the night before when he'd slept over at her apartment. A few minutes later she heard his soft footsteps coming down the hallway and a smile touched her lips.</p><p>He tiptoed into the room. "You still awake," he asked in a whisper.</p><p>"Yep." She turned over in bed so she was facing him.</p><p>Bosco started to take off his belt. "Thanks for coming over," he said softly.</p><p>"Thanks for askin' me to stay."</p><p>He pulled off his belt, then started on his jeans. "I like havin' you here," he whispered, his voice barely audible.</p><p>She gazed at him in the semi-darkness of the room, touched by his soft confession. "Boz?"</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>She was quiet for a moment. "Are you really goin' to your mom's for Christmas?"</p><p>"I'll probably be there for dinner. Why?"</p><p>"Well, I was just thinkin' since techinically neither of us has to work Christmas Eve or Christmas Day..." Her voice trailed off and she suddenly felt stupid for even thinking what she was thinking.</p><p>He stepped a little closer to the bed, his jeans hanging off his hips. "What were you thinking?"</p><p>"Nothing."</p><p>"Faith."</p><p>She sighed softly. "I thought...I don't know...maybe we could spend it together."</p><p>"That's great idea."</p><p>"No, it's not." She smiled faintly. "You have family, Boz. You should spend it with them."</p><p>"Well you can come with me to ma's. She'd love to have you. She always makes plenty of food."</p><p>"No, I don't wanna impose like that. That's your time with your mother."</p><p>"Okay, so we could at least spend Christmas Eve together," he suggested.</p><p>"Yeah. Sure." She closed her eyes, tucking her hand under the pillow beneath her head.</p><p>Bosco pulled off his shirt, and tossed it in the corner. "Was that a 'it sounds great yeah' or a 'fine whatever yeah'," he asked, unable to read her expression in the dimly lit room.</p><p>"The first one." Her voice was soft.</p><p>"Okay. I was just checkin'. We'll have a good time." He sat down on the edge of the bed to take his pants off.</p><p>Faith opened her eyes, gazing at him wordlessly.</p><p>He kicked his jeans toward the corner, and turned to crawl into bed when he stopped. Thinking about all the beer he'd been drinking before she came over he wondered if he needed to shower before going to bed.</p><p>"What's wrong?"</p><p>"Oh, I was just thinking I probably need to shower," he told her softly.</p><p>"Oh."</p><p>He swallowed hard, and looked down. "I was drinking tonight," he whispered.</p><p>"So was I."</p><p>"Yeah, but...I think I hit it a little harder than you."</p><p>She looked at him. "What's got you so sad these days, Boz?" Her voice was very soft.</p><p>Bosco sighed heavily. "Faith...I think I'm..."</p><p>"What?" She propped herself up on her elbows to look at him better, worried.</p><p>"I'm lonely," he whispered nearly inaudibly, not looking at her.</p><p>"Come here," she whispered back, just barely hearing his words.</p><p>He shook his head. "It's okay. I'm fine."</p><p>"Boz, please."</p><p>He let out a breath, and laid down beside her.</p><p>She slid an arm around him, shifting close to him. She rested her cheek against his, closing her eyes.</p><p>"I don't know what's goin' on with me...why this is happening."</p><p>She kissed his cheek lightly, rubbing his back. It felt good to be so close to him. She could feel the warmth radiating from his skin. "It's okay," she whispered.</p><p>Bosco closed his eyes, and took a few deep breaths.</p><p>"It's okay, Boz," she murmured, kissing the corner of his mouth lightly, not even thinking about her actions.</p><p>"I used to like bein' alone, ya know?"</p><p>She nodded against him, lifting a hand to touch his cheek, pulling away a little so she could gaze at him.</p><p>"It was always easier," he whispered. "But for some reason, now...especially with Christmas and stuff..."</p><p>"You're not alone," she whispered, gently moving her thumb over his skin.</p><p>A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Thanks."</p><p>Faith leaned forward, pressed a soft kiss to his forehead as her hand lingered against his cheek. She gazed at him again, their faces only inches apart. "Anytime," she whispered.</p><p>He reached out, and rested his hand on her hip. "You always know what I need."</p><p>"Well, we been best friends a long time," she said softly, swallowing hard as his fingers brushed against her bare skin.</p><p>"Yeah." He nodded against the pillow. "Best friends."</p><p>She fell silent, simply gazing at him in the semi-darkness.</p><p>Bosco gave her a small smile as he gazed back at her. He always hated sharing his feelings, and talking about the things that were bothering him. But he had to remember that Faith was always there to talk to. She was always willing to help.</p><p>Faith kissed the corner of his mouth again gently, closing her eyes.</p><p>"What are you doin'," he asked very softly, sliding his arm around her waist.</p><p>"I don't know," she said just as softly, shifting a little closer to him.</p><p>"You're not doin' this just cause I was a little upset are you?"</p><p>"No. It feels good to...be this close to you." Her voice was nearly inaudible and part of her hoped he hadn't heard her.</p><p>"You do," he asked in a whisper, more than a little surprised.</p><p>She nodded wordlessly, leaning her head against his as she exhaled slowly.</p><p>"I like this, too."</p><p>"Bosco?"</p><p>"Hmmm?"</p><p>"Will you kiss me?" she whispered.</p><p>Instead of answering with words he tilted his head a little so he could place a soft kiss on her lips.</p><p>Faith returned the gentle pressure without hesitation, her hand still resting against his cheek.</p><p>He pulled away a moment later, and gazed at her. There was a mixture of surprise, and uncertainty on his face.</p><p>She opened her eyes and gazed back at him, their eyes meeting instantly.</p><p>"We uh...we just kissed."</p><p>"Yeah. We did." Her voice was soft.</p><p>"So, what happens now," he asked in a whisper.</p><p>She was quiet for a moment. "I have a confession to make," she whispered back.</p><p>"What is it?"</p><p>A small smile tugged at her lips. "You know your Secret Santa?"</p><p>He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"</p><p>"You're lookin' at her."</p><p>"Funny Faith."</p><p>"I'm serious."</p><p>He gazed at her for a moment, studying her face. "Really?"</p><p>She nodded slowly. "Yeah, really."</p><p>"You figured out who yours is yet?"</p><p>"No, I..." She stared at him. "No way."</p><p>Bosco smiled. "Way."</p><p>Her mouth dropped open. "Are you kiddin' me?"</p><p>"Do you think I'd kid about something as sacred as the Secret Santa gift exchange?"</p><p>A chuckle escaped her lips. "You mean out of everybody in the -entire- 55th precinct...we drew each other's names?"</p><p>"Yeah." He began to slowly rub her back. "I think it worked out pretty good for us."</p><p>Her eyes softened as she gazed at him. "Do you remember a few days ago when we were on our break and you asked me what I was lookin' for and I said I didn't know?"</p><p>"You mean when you were lookin' in the store windows?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>He nodded his head, a questioning look on his face.</p><p>"I was lookin' in the wrong place," she whispered. She touched his cheek again. "I'm not anymore."</p><p>"You mean..."</p><p>Faith brushed her lips over his, answering his question silently as her eyes drifted shut.</p><p>As they kissed he carefully shifted a little closer to her.</p><p>"Haven't you figured it out yet, Boz?" Her voice was very soft as she kissed the corner of his mouth.</p><p>"Figured what out?"</p><p>She smiled softly. "All I want for Christmas is you."</p>
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